Improvement in camera-stands



UNITED STATES PATENT QEEIGE.

BALTHASAR HOLLEB, OF BROOKLYRE. D, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAMERA-STANDS.

Specification forming part of Letters. Patent No. 136,997, dated March 18, 1873.

- panying drawing forming part of this specification, in which drawing Figure 1 represents a vertical section of my invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the same in the plane :20 00, Fig. 1.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

This invention consists in combining with the platform and the legs of a camera-stand two or more slides, which are connected to the platform by hinge-joints and which move up and down in guide-slots provided for them in the legs. Springs or weights applied to the slides have a tendency to force the same upward, while said slides are retained in position by friction-springs or other equivalent devices. These friction devices connect with a treadle so that, by depressing said treadle, the slides are released and permitted to follow the action of their springs or weights, and the platform can be adjusted without requiring the aid of the hands.

In the drawing, the letter A designates the platform of my camera-stand, which is supported at its front end by two slides, B B, and at its rear end by one slide, 0, and these slides are by preference made triangular, as

shown in Fig. 2. Thefront slides B B are connected to each other by a traverse, D, on top and by a bar, E, at the bottom, and the connection between the upper traverse D and the platform A is effected by one or more hinge-joints, a. The rear slide 0 connects with the platform A by a link, I), which is hinged at one end to the slide and at its other end to the platform. (See Fig. 1.) The slides B B extend down through guide-slots in the front legs F F, and the slide 0 through guideslots in the leg G, and they are retained in position by friction-springs c c, or by any other suitable friction device which willanswer my purpose. From the bottom cross-bar E of the front slides extends a cord, d, over a pulley, e, to a weight, f, which has a tendency to force up said front slides, together with the front part of the platform A, and the rear part of the platform is subjected to the action of a spring, g, Fig. 1, which is sufficiently strong to raise said part of the platform, together with the rear slide, whenever the slide is relieved from the action of its friction device. The friction-springs c 0 connect, by cords or chains h h, with a rock-shaft, z, to which an oscillating motion is imparted by a treadle, H, which is hinged to one of the front legs. The chain h, which extends from this rockshaft to the friction-spring c of the rear slide, is somewhat shorter than the chains h, extending to the friction-springs c of the front slides, so that, when the treadle is depressed, the chain 71/, on being wound on the rockshaft, withdraws the friction-springs c from contact with the rear slide before the frictionsprings c of the front slides are withdrawn. If the treadle is only slightly depressed, therefore, the rear part of the platform can be made to follow the action of the spring 9, while the front part of said platform remains stationary; but if the treadle is further depressed,

thefront part of the platform is also released and allowed to follow the action of the weight f. The link I; and the hinges I allow the platform to accommodate itselfto the varying positions of the slides B B O.

' By this arrangement the operator is enabled to adjust the platform A simply by stepping on the treadle H, and he has his hands free to bring the camera, which is supported by the platform A, in the required position. The weight f and the spring g are so gaged that it requires but a slight pressure on the platform to depress the same, provided the slides B B or O are relieved from their friction devices.

It is obvious that a spring might be substituted for the weight f or a weight for the spring g. 1

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The slides B B G, constructed as described and connected with the platform A by the hinges a b, in combination withthe legs F F G of the camera-stand, the several parts being arranged substantially as herein:

shown, for the purpose specified.

2. The weight f and spring g, or their equivalents, in combination with the slides 13 B 0, platform A, and legs F F G, substantially as set forth.

3. The friction devices 0 c and treadle or lever H connected thereto, in co :nhin ltiOIl with the weights or springs f g and with the slides B B 0, platform A, and legs F F G, substantially as shown and described.

This specification signed by me this 30th day of December, 1872.

B. HOLLFR. Witnesses:

W. HAUFF,v E. F. KASTENHUBER. 

